Territory



' 2 sheets-sheet 1..

(No Model.)

LE ROY 0. DREW.

TRAGTION WHEEL.

VVE/V703:

ATTH/VEYS.

Patented Ja 29, 1889.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

LB ROY O. DREW'.

TRAGTION WHEEL Patented Ja1.11.29, 1889.

WHA/5385s.

ATTORNEYS.

Tens Phommmgnphur, wminmn, nA c.

UNITED STATES PATENT "Erica LE ROY O. DRElV, OF OARTHAGE, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

TRACTION-WH EEE...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,862, dated January 29, 1889. Application filed September 6, 1888. Serial No. 284,709. (No model.)

T0 all whom it' may concern:

Beit known that I, LE ROY O. DREW, of Carthage, in the county of Miner and Terri tory of Dakota, have invented anew and Iniproved Traction-lVheel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object et' the invention is to provide a new and improved tractionfwheel which is simple and durable in construction and adapted to any vehicle, mowing-machines, reapers, &c.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations ot the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement with parts in section.` Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine with parts in section. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view oit' the same. Fig. i is an enlarged transverse section of the saine on the linc .fr o. et' Figs. l and 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of thelinks forming the endless chain. Fig. (5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the roller-links. Fig. S is an inner side view of the same. of the connecting ends of two succeeding roller-links, and Fig. lO a transverse section of the saine on the line y y oi' Fig. 9.

The improved traction-wheel A is provided with a main frame, B, having an inner bracket, C, provided with an aperture, D, into which iits one end of the axle or transverse beam for connecting two tfractioirwlieels, A, with each other. The main trame B is also provided with a track, E, having an elongated shape, as plainly shown in Fig. l, and sup` ported by the bracket C. The rear end of the track E is semicircular, and the front end is curved easily from the bottoni upward, as fully illustrated in Fig. l.

The track E is U-shaped, and consists, principally, of the base F and the side parts,

l F', extending outwardly7 from the said base F.

At the outer end of each of the side parts,

F', is formed an outwardly-extending flange,

F2, on which rest corresponding flanges, G, formed on the links G, connected with each Fig. 9 is a side elevation other by bolts II to 'form an endless chain, I, which passes around the track E. Each of the links G (see Figs. 5 and (l) is provided with the side pieces, G2, carrying the said flanges G, and on the end ot" each side piece, G2, is formed a recess, G3, into which fits the corresponding recess Gis of the next following link G. The side pieces, G2, of each link are connected with each other by a bottom plate, G4, adapted to rest on the ground when the several links G of thc endless chain I are in their lower'most position.

In the middle of the bottom plate, G", of each link G are arranged two parallel track-plates, l

G5, extending beyond each end of the bottom plate, G4, so that the said projecting ends of one link project over thebottom plate of the next succeeding link and the track-plates G5 of the said succeeding link lit alongside of the track-plates of the link G under consideration. Thus the track-plates G5 forni a continuous track on the endless chain I, and on the said track-plates travel the rollers J, connected with each other by the links K, so as to forni an endless chain of rollers and links.

Each of the rollers J is provided with a hub, J traveling on the top edges oi' the parallel plates of the links G, and between the hubs .l is formed the ei'llargcd wheel J 2, which llits between the two parallel plates G5 of the link G and travels on the under side (respectively the top) of the base-plate F ol the track E. (See Figs. l and i.) Each of the links K, which connect two succeeding rollers, J, with each other, is provided with an aperture, K', into which [its a corresponding trunnion formed on each end of the hubs J". The aperture K is surrounded by a hub, K2, upon which iits the aperture K:E of the next following link K, so that two succeeding links are jointed with each other in the shape of a hinge. The movement of the hinge of two succeeding links, however, is limited by a stop, K4, formed on one end of the link K and resting on the top edge of the opposite end of the succeeding link, as plainly shown in Fig. 9. The links thus support each other on top of the track F, which latter may be cut away across the top, as shown in Fig. l. To prevent the two succeedin g links from becoming detached, I provide the stop K1 with a down wardlyextending iiange, KG, which fits over IOO the outside of the following link K. The inner end of the stop K" rests against a corresponding notch, K", of the following link.

The upper part of the track Eis covered by a hood, L, surrounding the sides and top of the said track E, as plainly shown in Fig. l; Vhen the several parts are in position, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the wheel A is drawn forward in the direction of the arrow a, a traveling motion is imparted to the-endless chain I as the bottom plates, G4, of the several links G rest on the ground. The wheels J2 of the lower rollers, J, which carry the vframe B, travel only one-half as fast as frame B, the wheels J2 being twice as large as the hubs J of the said rollers, which travel upon the outside track, I. The track below rollers, upon which rests the whole load, is always perfectly still upon the ground and forms a smooth straight and solid track for the rollers J to travel upon. Thus that part of chain above frame B travels in the direction of the arrow a and the part below frame I3 rests still upon the ground as the rollers travel around frame B. Thus the chain I travels in the direction of the arrow 1) ,while the rollers J travel in the direction of the arrow c and about twice as fast.

It is understood that the weight of the frame B and its contents rests with the bottom of the frame on about one-third of the rollers J, and the latter, on account of being supported on the parallel plates G5 of the bottom links G, press the bottom plates in iirm contact with the ground. Thus when the machine is drawn forward in the direction of the arrow a the endless chain I travels in the direction of the arrow ZJ', one link after the other passing down onto the ground on the front, to remain there until the frame has moved forward the distan ce of the straight bottom part of the frame.

It will be seen that the several links of the endless chain I permit an easy turning around the curved part of the frame B, and in a similar manner the rollers J are guided around the curved parts of the base F bybeing loosely connected with each other by the links K. The overlapping ends of the parallel plat-es l5 form a continuous track.

This traction-wheel A is adapted for all purposes for which common wheels are now l. In a traction-wheel, the endless chain I, consisting' of a series of pivoted links, G, each provided with parallel track-plates G5, proj ecting beyond the ends of the bottom thereof, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a traction-wheel, the endless chain I, consisting' of a series of pivoted links, each formed of the side pieces, G2, having the recessed ends G3 and the bottom G4, provided with the parallel track-plates l5, projecting beyond the ends of the bottom, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a traction-wheel, the combination, with the U -shaped track E, provided with the outwardly-extending flanges F2, of the endless chain I, composed of a series of pivoted links, G, provided with inwardly-projecting anges G, substantially as described.

4. In a traction-wheel, the combination,

' with the rollers J, of the links K, efwh vided with apertures K for the rece; the trunnions of the rollers, the hub ,s1 rounding the aperture, and the apertures substantially as described.

5. In a traction wheel, the combination, with the rollers J, of the links K, each provided with the apertures K K3, the hub K2, the notch K5, and the stop K4, having iiange K6, substantially as herein shown and described.

(i. In a traction -wheel, the combination, with an elongated frame forming an inside track and provided with outwardly-extending ianges, of rollers traveling on the said inside track, links for connecting the trunnions of the said rollers to form an endless chain, and a second endless chain provided with flanges littin on the I'lan ges of the frame and also provided with parallel plates forming an outside track for the said rollers, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a traction wheel, the combination, with an elongated frame forming an inside track and provided with outwardly-extending iianges, of links having flanges iitting on the iianges of the said track, bolts for connecting the said links with eachother to form an endless chain, bottom plates held on each link and adapted to pass onto the ground, parallel plates held on the said links to form a continuous track, rollers mounted to travel on the. said parallel plates and also on the said inside track, and a second set of links for connecting the trunnions of the said rollers with each other, substantially as shown and described.

)n of LE ROY O. DREW.

"Witnesses:

THEO. G. HosTER, EDGAR TATE.

IOO 

